Hi- Im 21 yr old male. Couple of encpounters of non protected oral sex(ended B4 ejaculation) within the past 18 months. I am unsure of HIV status. The past few weeks Ive been experiencing a slight burning sensation just behind and sometimes on my left shoulder. It comes for a bit and goes away for a bit. ITs not an awful pain, but its annoying. Is the pain from herpes zoster constant or does it come and go. It seems to coincide wiht heartburn. I get heartburn I get thee burn on my shoulder. There is no blistering or redness in the area, just a couple of pimples. Is it possible this is zoster. Can zoster present itself less than 2 yrs after infection if I was indeed infected? Thanks for reading

Response from Dr. Currier

While it is true that herpes zoster starts as a burning or tingling and is localized- by now it should have developed into multiple blister- like lesions. It is also important to know that people who are not HIV infected can also get zoster. If you are concerned about a possible HIv exposure- then get an HIV test.

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